Indian Scientists Discover Two New Plant Species

Indian botanists have discovered two new plant species in India’s bio-geographic hotspots: Dendrophthoe longensis in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Petrocosmea arunachalense in Arunachal Pradesh. Dendrophthoe longensis, found on Long Islands, is a hemiparasitic plant in the mistletoe family that lives on mango trees and is at risk due to habitat loss. Petrocosmea arunachalense, discovered in a cave in the Mandla region, is a rare herbaceous plant in the Gesneriaceae family, notable for its white color with purple spots and hairy texture. Both discoveries highlight the importance of conservation efforts.